Huthwaite WW One Memorial
1914 - 1918 Remembrance
Charles Henry Moakes
Driver 129556 - D Battery 149th Brigade
Royal Horse & Field Artillery
Enlisted: Sutton-in-Ashfield, Notts
Died of Wounds Flanders 16th June 1917 : Aged 20
Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery XIV. F. 19
Huthwaite Online WW1 Remembrance
Driver 129556 Charles Henry Moakes was born March 1897 in Huthwaite. Parents were both Hucknall Huthwaite natives. Their Q4 1890 marriage between coal miner Mr William Moakes and Miss Florence Ashley raised on Main Street, is only identified by 1911 Huthwaite census further managing to trace back that young mothers 1907 registered death.
Mrs Florence Moakes had mothered five children at 30 Newcastle Street, before a Widowed Mr William Moakes 44, was left fathering Robert 20, Florry 18, Dudless 16, Charles 14 and Eliza 10. Elder daughter Florry may well have inherited role of housekeeper, while all three sons followed father underground working New Hucknall Colliery, until each chose to enlist.
Driver 129556 Charles Henry Moakes enlisted at Sutton assigned to the 149th Royal Horse and Field Artillery. About a year after deployed into France with D Company, he was killed by fatal back wounds recording died of wounds 16th June 1917, aged 20.
Father was named next of kin. Mr William Moakes had already lost his eldest son two years earlier, and would further receive his youngest sons effects at later registered address 124 Sutton Road, Huthwaite. The whereabouts of third serving son Private D Moakes remained uncertain, but his name was not ultimately added to the Huthwaite cenotaph roll of honour when it did list both brothers R W Moakes alongside C H Moakes. Charles was also remembered on Huthwaite Methodist Chapel members plague.
LOCAL SOLDIERS KILLED - DRIVER C. H. MOAKES
Official intimation has been received of the death from wounds of driver Charles Henry Moakes, 129556, D Battery, R.F.A., the youngest son of Mr. Wm. Moakes, of Newcastle Street, Huthwaite, who has now lost two sons in the war. Driver Moakes was only 20 last March, and had been in France just a year. Previous to his joining the army he was employed at New Hucknall Colliery. A letter from the chaplain states that he died at 5.30 a.m. on June 16th. of wounds in the back. He adds I was with him several times, and commended his soul to God. He was too weak to speak, and suffered little owing to the great shock. His body lies in the military cemetery at Remy. Everything was done for him. God bless you and give strength in this time of your sorrow. Yours in deep sympathy.
Driver Moakes’ eldest brother, Private R. Moakes, was killed exactly two years before his brother, the date being June 15th. 1915. The other son, Private D. Moakes, has not written home for some months, and the last letter sent out to him has been returned. He enlisted just after the war broke out, and was invalided from Gallipoli with fever and a wound. He afterwards was sent to France, where he again broke down with fever and had a long spell in an English hospital, and subsequently returned to France about 18 months ago. The official notification of Driver Moakes’ death is under date June 23rd.
24 Jul 06 by Gary Elliott Updated 04 Feb 14